'Threatened' Sri Lankan editor of anti-govt newspaper flees homeland

Sydney, Nov 10 (ANI): The former editor of Sri Lanka's most outspokenly anti-government newspaper has fled Colombo for political asylum in another country.

Frederica Jansz left her country after allegedly being told by a government official that she would be killed.

She was told by the Sri Lankan government's Secretary of Defence, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the brother of the President, that if they were at a function together 'I will tell people this is the editor of The Sunday Leader and 90 per cent there will show that they hate you, they will kill you".

Jansz was also denied protection in Australia, where she has tried to claim asylum.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Jansz told Fairfax that she was devastated to leave her homeland.

"It broke my heart, it shattered me. My sons and I were so happy there. But I was left with no option. I knew they were going to throw me in jail, or I would be attacked," she said.

"I couldn't keep fighting. I felt it was important I stayed out of jail, and stayed alive, for my kids," she added.

According to the report, she also said that she would never return to Sri Lanka.

"There's no going back for me, absolutely not. I feel lucky that I got out of this alive," she added.

Jansz had said she was dismissed earlier this year after her paper, The Sunday Leader, was bought by a businessman who wanted her to stop carrying articles critical of the government. (ANI)